Harness-bridle



(No Model.)

L. H. HILLIS.

HARNESS BRIDLE.

Patented May 11, 1886.v

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N versus. Mmmm wnmngm a c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI II. I-IILLS, OF KOKOMO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES O. GREESON, OF ALTO, INDIANA.

HARNESS-BRIDLE.

jPEOIlEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,480, dated May 1l, 1886.

Application filed July 25, 1885. Serial No. 172,694. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnvr H. HILLrs, a resident of Kokomo, Indiana, have made certain new and useful Improvementsin Harness-Bridles, a description of which is set forth in the following specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like letters indicate like parts.

My invention relates to an improvement in harness-bridles; and it consists in the means employed for connecting the blinder to the cheek-straps, and in connecting the two blindy ers behind the jaw by means of back-straps,

and in the method of constructing the loops for the cheek-straps, and will be understood from the following description:

In the drawings, Figure l represents a side view of the blinder with its shank and loop connected to the cheek-strap. Fig. 2 is a rear edge view ofthe cheek-strap and box-loops, and the back-strap connecting the blinders by their links. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line z e, Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a crosssection on the line x x, Fig. l.

In detail, b is a blinder made of metal, the body of which may be covered with leather, if desired. s is a shank of the blinder, also of metal, which receives one end of a bent wire which forms thelooplat the top of each blinder. To these loops are fastened the ends of the backstraps bs, which are buckled in the center, as shown in Fig. 2, the object of this backstrap being to hold the blinders at the proper distance apart and away from the eye of the horse, it often happening, where the blinder is made of leather, or if the main bodybe made of iron, yet the shank be made of leather and flexible, that one blinder will press against the eye of the horse, while the other on the opposite side stands out some distance from the eye on that side. This pressure of one blinderon the horses eye is very injurious, but my blinder having the metal shank and metal loops Z at the top, with which the back-straps b s are connected, it is obvious that on tightening these straps bykmeans of the buckle and tongue connecting them the body of thel blinders may be thrown out any convenient distance from the eye of the horse and kept uniform on each side. This back-strap also serves to hold the bridle upon the horse, and may take the place of the ordinary throat-latch5 but a throatlatch can also be used in connection with the bridle, .if desired.

In Fig. l the cheek-strap c is shown with a long box-loop, and, as ordinarily made, being stitched under. This loop is expensive, bntI construct it by the use of metal strips which are connected by screws or rivets, as shown in Fig. 5. Thus in the latter figure b4 represents the edge ofthe blinder,which is made ofnietal. mis an inner metal strip, and m' an outer metal strip, and between the metal strip m and the edge of the blinder b the back of the cheekstrap loop c is fastened, and screws se are driven through the under metal plate, m, the metal blinder b, the back of the loop e, and4 the inner metal plate, m, fastening them securely together. This dispenses with all stitching, and these screws may be taken out and the blinder removed for repairs, or for any other purpose, which is not the case where the blinder is stitched between the ordinary leather cheekstraps. The metal strip m passes up above the blinder and has a slot or opening to admit the buckletongue, and it is then bent down, as shown in Fig. l, and a screw or rivet driven through, holding the buckle securely to this metal Strip, the whole forming a strong economical method of attachment of the parts,

by any one with a screw-driver.

The method of securing the blinder between the metal strips and the loop is indicated more clearly in Fig. 4, which shows the round opening formed in the shank s of the blinder to receive the wire that forms the loop Z, the other end of this wire being held in place under the portion of the blinder which is turned over around the wire for that purpose.

I am aware that blinders the main body of which is formed of metal are not new, and do not broadly claim the same as my invention. What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

l. In a harness-bridle, the metal blinder b, having a metal shank integral therewith, the loop Z, connected to the rear of the blinder, and

-and one that is capable of being taken apart the back-strap bs, connected to such loop, all and screws or rivets for uniting the parts, all

combined, substantially as described. combined, substantially as described. 1o 2. In a harness-bridle, the metal blinder b, In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my having :t metal shank integral therewith, the hand this 17 th day of July, 1885.

loop Z,e0nnected to the rear of the blinder, the l LEVI H. HILLIS.

baclostrap bs, connected to such loop,the shank Vitnesses:

of the blinder passing back under the eheek- C. P. JACOBS,

strap loop, the metal baeking-platesm. andm,

XVM. E. BARTON. 

